Summary of work: The reality of traits and the validity of trait measures are both confirmed by evidence of consensual validation--agreement of independent observers on the trait standing of a given target. Cultural psychologists have proposed that traits are not relevant to human behavior in collectivistic societies, where behavior is governed by interpersonal relationships. However, a review of cross-cultural studies of cross-observer agreement and new data from Russia and the Czech Republic demonstrated comparable levels of consensual validation in collectivistic as in individualistic countries. Patterns of mean trait levels across a variety of cultures can thus be meaningfully compared. An analysis of similarity of personality profiles in a sample of 36 cultures showed that personality traits are geographically ordered. Countries that are geographically close tended to be similar in personality traits; Western nations were, in general, higher in Extraversion and Openness and lower in Agreeableness and Conscientiousness than were African and African nations. Both cross-cultural and longitudinal studies on personality, stress, and coping will continue.